Choker hook



Patented Feb. 10, 1925.

UNITED STATES ERNEST LAW, F SOUTH BEND, WASHINGTON.

erronea BooK.

Application mea July 7, 1924. serial No. 724,651.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, ERNEST Law, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of South Bend, county of Pacific, State of lVashington, have invented a new and useful Choker Hook, of which the following is a specification. y y i This invention relates `to choker hooks and is particularly designed for use in handling, hoisting and conveying logs and has for its primary object the provision of a simple, novel, strong and durable device ofthis character wherein a swivel connection is formed between the hook and its supporting clevis or member to permit the component parts to freely adapt themselves to the customary movements attendant the handling of logs and which will include coacting instrumentalities serving to hold the log engaging cable against occasional separation from the device when hauling a log down grade. .y y

A further object of the invention is to providea "device of this character wherein secured or babbitted to an element of the swivel unit of the device in a manner to eliminate the necessity of the usual swivel hook upon well known forms of chains used heretofore.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character in which its component parts may be freely separated asthe occasion requires.

My invention, therefore, comprises certain new features of construction and arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and pointed out in the claims annexed hereto.

In the drawings: d

Figure l is a view in side elevation of the device, Figure 2 is a front elevation with parts broken away and parts in section, Figure 3 is a section on line (3-3) of Figure 2 and Figure Il is a perspective View of the latch member.

In carrying the invention into practice l provide ahook member (5) having a forwardly andupwardly curved bill (6). Said member is formed with 'spaced parallel ears (7-7) having aligned apertures These ears are connected together by a curved top wall (9) whose ofiice will be explained presenti f the hoisting or draft cable may be directly Straddling the ears (7`-7) of the hook member are mating ears (10-10) of a superposed clevis (11). The said ears (1U-10) are formed with aligned apertures (11a) adapted to. register with the aforesaid apertures (8) in the ears (7-7)` and to also register with an aperture (12) in a latch member or dog (13). This arrangement of the parts enables me to employ a connecting bolt (14) common to the component parts and on which the parts may tilt relatively. The dog or latch member (13) is interposed between the ears (7-7) of the hook member (5) and same is free to tilt or swing between said ears. The bolt (14;) is formed preferably with a thread (15) which co-acts with a corresponding thread formed in one of the apertures (11) in the swivel member (10a).

The latch member or dog (13) is recessed at its opposite sides as at (16), said recesses being extended partly around the aperture (12). These recesses receive the side branches (17 of a substantially U-shaped spring (18).` These side branches of the spring have angular end portions (19) which extend into an opening (20) in said latch member. The side branches of said spring are curved at (21) to rest against the walls (22) of said recesses (16) and as shown the said side branches of the spring are connected together by a cross branch (23) which bears against the under surface of the aforesaid curved wall (9).

Said latch member is provided with an effective overhanging latch shoulder (24) adapted to co-act with the bill (6) for a purpose to be hereinafter explained. Formed on the latch member is a tail piece (25)v which, under the action of the'aforesaid spring, is normally advanced against a co-acting shoulder (26) at the base of the bifurcation between ears T-Jr'. The hoolr member is formed with forwardly and upwardly inclined faces (2T-27), and as illustrated the latch member (13) is formed with a similar face (28) and an abutment face (29), the latter having its lower edge approximately in horizontal alignment with the upper edgeof the bill of the hook (6); In this manner the log engaging cable may be operatively engaged with the bill .of the hook and when this is accomplished the latch member will be `influenced under the action of its spring so as to dispose the effective latch surface (2li) directly over the cable where it closes the hook in such manner as to positively hold the cable against accidental separation during the log hauling or hoisting operation and particularly does the device function in this manner to a desirable end when hauling a log down grade. In the operation of applying the log engaging cable over thevbillof the hook, the cable is pushed over the billand against the faces (Q7-27), (28|) and,` (29), suilicient force being employed to temporarily retract the latch member. When the cable reaches a point below the effective latch surface (24), the latch is freely responsive tothe influence of its spring. and same closes automatically.

The upper swivel member (10a)y is formed: witha socket (30) in which is free to rotateA a sleeve (3l). This sleeve isformed with a conical cavi-ty` (32) in which one endof a hoisting or draft `cable is babbittedl as at (33). lt is now observed that said hoisting or draft cable is connected with'the device so that the latter is free to turn horizontally while suspendedrfrom the cable. further beobserved thatzsby pivotally 'connecting the hook member (5) with Athe swivel member (10a) in the manner aforesaid the component parts of the structure are free for substantially universal movements so as to accommodate themselves to the uncertain angularmovements of a log during the hoisting or dragging operation.

The simplicity of the structure and the fact that it is constructed of few parts-will be appreciated. The component parts of the device are reliable `of operation, strong and durable, comparatively responsive and in practice may be controlled or actuated with maximum rapidity and accuracy.

I claim:

i. A choker hook comprising a hook member having a curved wall, a pivoted latch co-acting with the bill of; said member, a spring carried by the latch and correlated to said curved wall to freely slide thereover when the latch is moved and serving normally to close the latch against the hook, a. swivel elementr superposed with respect to said hook member, and a bolt pivotally joining the hook member with said swivel clement and constituting a support for said latch to permit same to move with relation to the bill of said hook member.

2. A choker hook comprising a hook` member, a pivoted. latch co-acting with the bill of Said member, a. swivel element superposed with respect to said hook member, and a bolt pivotally joining the hook member with said swivel element and constituting a support for said latch to permit same to move with relation to the `bill of said hook member, the hook having a curved wall It willl at one side of the bolt and a spring carried by said latch and having a free end co-acting with said curved wall of the hook member and movable thereover and normally pressing thereagainst to hold the latch closed against the hook.

3. A choker hook comprising a hook member, a pivoted latch co-acting with the billof said member, a swivel element superposed with respect to said hook member, and a bolt pivotally joining the hook member with saidswivel element and constituting a support for said latch to permit same to move withv relation` to the bill of said hook member, the hook having a curved wall at one side ofthe bolt anda springY carried by saidlatch andlhaving a free end co-acting with said curved wall. of the hook member and movable thereover, the said latch member co-acting with the bill of the hook so as to close the hook, and means for limiting the swinging movement of the hook. s

4. A choker hook comprising a hook member having a curved wall, a pivoted latch co-acting with the bill' of said member, a swivel element superposed with respect to said hook member, and, a boltv pivotally joining the-hook member with said swivel element and constituting a support for said latch to permit same to move with relation to the bill of saidl hook member, and a spring carried by said latch and having a free end co-acting with said curvedA wall of the hook memberV andlmovablethereover, the said latch member co-acting with the bill of the hook so aslto close the hook, and means for limiting the swinging movement of the hoolr, the said latch member and said hook member respectively y provided with inclined; faces to accommodate movements of a cable over the bill of the hooi; and to permit the latch to be retraced hy application of pressure of t-he cable against the inclined surface of the latch.

5. A device of the class described comprising twd members mounted to tilt on each other and including a pivot bolt, one of the members including a curved surface above the bolt, a latclncarried by said one member, a spring carried by the-latch and eo-acting with said curved surface to in iuence the latch and normally hold same in a closed position, and a bill formed on said one member kand co-acting with said latch, the latch having contiguous angular surfaces above the bill against which a cable may be passed and pressed into contact to open the latch, and as tail piece formed on the latch and influenced by the spring to yielding-ly rest against a portion of the hook and serving to hold said angular surfaces correlated with the bill ot said hook. y

6. A choker hook comprising a swivel membel, a rocking hook, a rocking latch associated with the hook to normally close same, a holt connecting the swivel member with said latch and the hook, the hook having a surface disposed in substantially concentric relation to the holt, and a U-shaped spring terminally connected with the latch and having a free yielding portion resting against said concentric surface to close the latch against the hook, said free end of the 10 spring being slidable over the concentric surface during movements of the latch.

ERNEST LAW. 

